Wilson's Allen
Wilson's Allen (1914–1939) was an influential Tennessee Walking Horse sire from Coffee County, Tennessee. He was a chestnut stallion bred by Bud Messick for $200 and trained by Steve Hill. His sire was Roan Allen and his dam was Birdie Messick; both lines trace back to Black Allan, which some see as the breed’s first intentional inbreeding.
Although Wilson's Allen was not a show horse himself, he became a major sire. He fathered 482 foals. Five of the first ten World Grand Champions came from him: Strolling Jim (1939), Haynes Peacock (1940–41), Melody Maid (1942), City Girl (1944), and Midnight Sun (1945–46). Today, about 70 World Grand Champions trace back to him, with only a few exceptions.
His life included several sales: he moved with Hill’s family, was owned by Bibb Kirby after Hill’s death in 1922, and was later bought by Frank Wilson in 1928 who stood him at stud with great success. Wilson's Allen died in 1939 and was buried three times. He was first laid to rest at Steve Hill's stables, then moved to the Middle Tennessee State University campus in 1975, and finally placed near the university’s Horse Science Center.
Pedigree note: Wilson's Allen is inbred 2S × 2D to Black Allan (second generation on both the sire and dam sides).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:56 (CET).